Katella Off to Fast Start After Win

As soon as the final gun sounded after Katella High’s 55-13 nonleague victory over La Quinta Thursday at Glover Stadium, the Knights converged on Coach Larry Anderson with a tub of water.

The coach was given the sort of postgame shower that usually comes after a team wins a league title.

But Katella is off to a 2-0 start for the first time in Anderson’s 10 seasons.

“It’s nothing to brag about,” Anderson said, “but that’s why we’re so excited.”

He is also happy because Katella has several talented skill players, some depth, and has already matched last year’s victory total.

Katella rolled up 21 points in the first quarter and the game was so one-sided by the half (41-0), Anderson had his headset off, his assistants from the press box on the sidelines and his reserves already on the field.

“That doesn’t happen at our school,” Anderson said. “We were not trying to show them up. We’ve been there too many times. We know what that feels like.”

Katella got an especially strong performance from quarterback John Baldridge, among others.

Baldridge rushed for Katella’s first two touchdowns and finished with three rushing touchdowns in the game. He scored on runs of one, 14 and two yards. He also made a perfect throw that reached wide-receiver Art Tiscareno in full stride for a 53-yard touchdown pass.

Baldridge was three of four, all to Tiscareno, for 84 yards.

Katella also showed depth at running back as reserve Carlos Cabrera, a junior, rushed for 90 yards in 14 carries. He had scoring runs of eight and 19 yards.

Francis Johnson, a sophomore, was much more economical. He gained 84 yards in four carries, including a 58-yard run for a touchdown.